Sweetness
by Lucy May
Summary: Tsuzuki and Hisoka share dessert and a late night confession. Unfortunately, Muraki still has ways of making his presence known.TsuzukiXHisoka. Alternate, uncensored chapter 8 now up!
1. Chapter 1

The evening had taken a most unexpected turn, Tsuzuki thought, with a smile at the understatement, as he watched his young partner sit cross legged on his bed, looking just the tiniest bit relaxed for once.

Their latest case was closed, and rather quickly. The pair of shinigami were feeling some pride at a job well done, when Hisoka surprised Tsuzuki with the suggestion they use the three day budget they'd been allowed to celebrate.

Tsuzuki felt like he must be dreaming, especially when could have sworn he saw the smallest of smiles cross the usually emotionless face of the youth when Tsuzuki had expressed his joy at the idea.

Their allowance had provided a memorable feast of deserts and wine from the room service, and the pair now sat on their beds, contentedly enjoying it.

But even the sight of cakes and delicate pastries hadn't completely distracted Tsuzuki form the subtle change in Hisoka's demeanor. Only one who knew him as well as Tsuzuki did would ever have noticed the miniscule thaw in the young man's frosty exterior, but it gave him a tender pang of joy that made everything about this experience that much sweeter.

He loved Hisoka. It was a simple emotion for someone like Tsuzuki, and one he felt readily and earnestly for others, though he couldn't explain why, and really, never thought a lot about it. But to say he understood what went on behind the large green eyes of his friend would be untrue.

This child had no chance to experience love or happiness in his brief, tortured life, Tsuzuki thought sadly, as he watched him toy with his food, not realizing how sweet he looked as a bit of chocolate frosting stuck to the corner of his frowning lips. He had been raised with strict formality and training, only to be rejected and forgotten, locked away like a monster. And before even reaching adulthood, he had his innocence brutally ripped from him, and was cursed to die a slow, painful death. He knew these things of Hisoka, not from the boy's own lips, but from others, as the young man had grown hard and private from his harsh treatment by others, aged beyond his years and robbed of a childhood. But, in a moment when Tsuzuki had felt most unworthy of ever having an existence, this boy had asked him to live, for him.

"You're quiet," Hisoka said, glancing up at him before washing away his last bite of cake with red wine.

"Am I? Sorry, I was just thinking," Tsuzuki said with a smile.

"I didn't know you could think and eat simultaneously," Hisoka teased gently. Tsuzuki threw his pillow at him, nearly knocking the glass from his hand.

"So, why did you suggest we celebrate like this? It's not like you, Hisoka," Tsuzuki said, stretching back in satisfaction after finishing off his apple pie.

"I dunno," Hisoka said, shrugging and seeming slightly embarrassed. Tsuzuki gave him a quizzical look.

"Well, it's kind of our anniversary, I guess," Hisoka added, looking into his empty glass.

"Anniversary?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka reached for the bottle on the night stand and refilled his glass before answering.

"We've been partners for two years now," he said, then drank deeply from his glass. Tsuzuki's eyes narrowed slightly as he calculated the time to himself.

"It's not like you to be so sentimental," Tsuzuki said with a smile, truly touched. Hisoka colored slightly and sighed.

"Yeah, well, when it comes down to it -- " he started and paused.

"Yes?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka's eyes met his at last.

"You're the only person who's ever really cared about me. I just wanted to do something to make you happy," Hisoka said.

"You have. More than you know," Tsuzuki said gently, tears stinging his eyes as he willed them not to fall.

"Sometimes -- ," Hisoka started, staring forlornly at his already half empty glass, and shook his head.

"Please, Hisoka. You can tell me anything," Tsuzuki said. watching the flush on the young man's cheeks as the wine began to have effect on him, and frowning to see he had lost the cheerfulness he thought he's seen earlier.

"I wonder why you're so nice to me. I wonder what you want from me. I've asked so much of you, and you've never asked for anything," Hisoka said, gripping the glass tightly before draining it.

Tsuzuki moved towards the other bed and sat beside Hisoka, laying a hand upon his shoulder.

"All I ask is your patience. I know I'm not easy to deal with, and you've stayed by my side all this time. That is enough for me," Tsuzuki said, taking the glass from Hisoka's tensed fingers and kneading his shoulder affectionately with his other hand.

"That is enough?" Hisoka said, an imploring look in his eyes as he looked at Tsuzuki that the older shinigami didn't quite understand. Tsuzuki felt that he looked disappointed somehow.

"Well, and I'd also like to see you happy. You deserve to be," Tsuzuki said, with a gentle smile.

Hisoka peered into his eyes with a strange intensity, as if there were an internal struggle behind them, before speaking.

"I've wanted to ask you for sometime, but, why did Tatsumi stop being your partner?" Hisoka asked. Tsuzuki's eyes widened at what he felt was an abrupt change of subject. He cleared his throat.

"Well, I remind him of his mother, and I'm annoying and all that," Tsuzuki said awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It wasn't because you were in love with him?" Hisoka blurted out, covering his mouth with his hand with a gasp. Tsuzuki gave a nervous laugh.

"Um -- no. Who told you that? Watari?" Tsuzuki asked, blushing deeply.

"No, no one told me anything. I just -- well the way he always acts around you, like he's done something deeply personal to hurt you," Hisoka said, unable to meet his partner's amethyst gaze.

"Well, he actually was the one -- ," Tsuzuki started, running his hand through his hair through his hair with a shy grin. Hisoka turned to face him, his mouth agape.

"Oh, I see," Hisoka said, sounding more like his reserved self than he had all evening.

"Well, the wine has made me drowsy, so I'm turning in," Hisoka said, stretching out and turning away on his side.

"Hisoka? Please tell me what's going on in your mind. I -- I wish I could read your emotions like you read mine sometimes," Tsuzuki said, remaining where he sat on Hisoka's bed. He heard the young man sigh, as rolled over on his back, gazing up at him with tired eyes.

"I want to make you feel as loved and accepted as you've made me feel," he said, adding quietly, " but I don't know how."

Tsuzuki's breath caught in his throat as he stared down at the lovely eyes of the face beneath him, which were more open than he'd ever seen them. He thought he was finally beginning to understand his partner's mercurial moods that evening.

"When Tatsumi -- well, it disgusted you, right? Is that why he looks guilty when he's around you sometimes? You didn't want him around you anymore when you knew how he felt about you, right?" Hisoka asked quietly, sounding like the tender age he actually was. Tsuzuki read the longing in those darkened green eyes, those small, parted lips, and shivered.

Tsuzuki leaned forward, pulling the small form of his partner to him, never breaking their shared gaze.

"No, Hisoka, that's not how it happened at all. Read my emotions now," Tsuzuki murmured, placing a reverent kiss upon the young man's jaw line, lazily working his way up to lick away the neglected chocolate smudge near his lips.

"I'm hardly disgusted, am I? Anyway, this is different. This is you," Tsuzuki whispered, as Hisoka sighed with pleasure.

"Does this -- will this make you happy?" Tsuzuki asked, pausing before placing his lips to Hisoka's.

Hisoka nodded, before pulling Tsuzuki's face to his.


	2. Chapter 2

Tsuzuki woke the next morning to find himself fully clothed in Hisoka's bed. He glanced around to find the boy was not beside him, finally spotting him stretched upon the floor and typing a report on his laptop.

Watching the face of his partner, he smiled, fondly remembering how he'd claimed those lips he found himself focusing upon. They'd gotten no further than a few impassioned kisses the previous night, before contentedly holding one another and drifting into sleep. He felt overwhelmed with both love and fear, his empathetic partner seeming to sense his emotional turmoil as he gazed up at him.

"Good morning, Tsuzuki. I'm just getting all the paperwork out of the way," he said, returning to his work.

Tsuzuki would have wondered if the night before were but a dream if he hadn't found himself in the other's bed. Hisoka had seemed so open to him then, so vulnerable. Tsuzuki hoped he hadn't unwittingly taken advantage. Physical affection was something that Tsuzuki acted upon readily and recklessly. It had gotten him into trouble before. Though it was never the rejection he feared. It was his own capacity to love, and his passion, that overwhelmed him. He worried that this instinct would be too much for a boy who had been through Hisoka's particular traumas.

"Are you okay, Tsuzuki?" Hisoka asked, breaking his thoughts. Hisoka had stood, having closed his laptop, his knees meeting the bed as he leaned towards him. Tsuzuki fought the urge to pull him down.

"I'm fine. And you?" Tsuzuki said in a carefree manner, smiling. His heart pounded as the young man climbed onto the bed beside him.

"I sense -- well, I'm not sure. It's all jumbled up. Something is bothering you though," Hisoka said, crawling over him. Tsuzuki's eyes widened as Hisoka nearly straddled him, his face mere inches above his own.

"Is it about last night?" Hisoka asked with a look of concern. Tsuzuki swallowed hard. Hisoka sat back, looking away.

"We had a lot to drink, I know, but I had hoped --" Hisoka whispered, his shoulders slumping. Tsuzuki sat up, laying a reassuring hand on the young man's shoulder.

"No! No, I was just worried that you might regret --" he started, falling silent as Hisoka looked back at him with a small smile, shaking his head.

"I had worried you know, that after -- after Muraki --" Hisoka said, his face contorting with anger for a moment, and then relaxing. "But I've had time to think about this, Tsuzuki. And last night, when you kissed me --"

Hisoka blushed deeply, seeming embarrassed, and angry at himself for allowing it to show. Tsuzuki watched his friend's rapidly changing emotions with a feeling of helplessness for a moment, until Hisoka seemed to have won the internal struggle.

"It felt right. I felt free of him," Hisoka said softly, collapsing against Tsuzuki as they both sank into the bed.

Hisoka peered into his eyes with curiosity and desire, before tentatively placing his lips to Tsuzuki's. They kissed slowly, tenderly, their arms entwining around each other as Hisoka cautiously allowed his tongue to breach Tsuzuki's lips. Tsuzuki accepted him eagerly, deepening their kiss with a stifled moan, their embrace becoming tighter.

Hisoka rolled back, pulling Tsuzuki on top of him, gasping at the heat and friction as he involuntarily ground his hips upward to meet his partner's.

Hisoka gazed up with hooded eyes to meet Tsuzuki's questioning ones.

"I'm ready to reclaim my own body, Tsuzuki," Hisoka said breathlessly, sending a jolt through the older shinigami, as he reached between them to shed his jeans.

Tsuzuki pulled himself up to assist the young man in undressing, wresting his shirt from him with a low growl.

Both men stopped immediately, as the boy's flesh came into view.

Tsuzuki stared in horror, as the intricate red patterns began to spread and mark Hisoka's body.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, What's the bastard up to now?" Tsuzuki asked angrily when they reported back to the Ministry of Hades.

Watari finished clicking the keys of his computer with a little flourish and turned the monitor screen towards them.

"Frankly, I have no idea. I've been searching through all our records, and there's nothing unusual going on in Japan, much less in you jurisdiction. There is this, however," Watari said, pointing to the opened case file, which featured several disturbing pictures of what appeared to be robbed graves.

"Louisiana? The United States?" Hisoka asked, his eyes scanning the screen.

"Yes. We have reason to believe there's someone there practicing re-animation, that is, reviving souless bodies to walk the earth. It sounds like Muraki's style to me," Tatsumi said, pushing his glasses up.

"But that doesn't explain --" Tsuzuki started, cut off with a warning look from Hisoka. He didn't want them to know about the marks. It had been the first time since the previous morning that the younger shinigami had looked his partner in the eye.

"Oh, that's right! You said that you sensed him, didn't you Hisoka?" asked Watari. Hisoka nodded.

"Muraki has found a way to signal you somehow, it seems, to let you know that he is up to something. Which usually means a trap," Tatsumi said, threading his fingers together on the table before him.

"Well, his traps haven't exactly worked before, have they? We have to find out what he's planning," Tsuzuki said.

"Chief Konoe is on vacation, so I'm going to have to make a decision on how best to approach this matter myself. I need some time to establish contact with the U.S. division," Tatsumi said, rising from his seat and walking towards his office. He glanced back sternly. "And Tsuzuki, there'd better not be a trace of that eclair in your pocket that you've been sneaking bites of on my table."

Watari turned to them with a grin.

"So I hear you two spent a three day budget on an overnight trip. Somebody's going to get a lecture!"

Tatsumi had made contact and sorted out the details a few strained hours later. He called them back to the meeting room, presenting each of them with a thick manila envelope.

"I've sent them the case file on Muraki and explained your first hand experiences with handling him. You've been volunteered to assist overseas, as I'm sure you've suspected. There's information there on the events so far in the case, and the team of shinigami you'll be assisting. Do you have any questions?" Tatsumi asked, making it clear that he really wasn't in the mood to answer any. Hisoka remained silent, and Tsuzuki knew he'd be pushing his luck terribly to ask about the size of their budget. In the intervening hours, he'd already done some research on this Louisiana's place's cuisine, and he hoped there would be at least a little surplus for fine dining.

"Very well. Good luck to you both, and keep us informed," Tatsumi said.

"Oh my, this is very exciting! I wonder if you'll run into any vampires!" Watari said with a giggle. Hisoka fixed him with a withering look.

"We've run into vampires in Japan," he muttered, opening his envelope, and flipping through the contents.

"Oh, right. I guess you have. I've been reading too many novels," Watari said with a grin. "I wish I could come with you an brush up on my English. I've been working on a gadget to translate languages." Tatsumi gave him a stunned look.

"You have? That sounds -- remotely useful," Tatsumi said, impressed.

"Yes, I need it so that I can translate some documents I'm researching to help with my sex change potion!" Watari said cheerfully. Tatsumi was shaking his head as they left the meeting room.

Tsuzuki opened his mouth, but realized he wasn't quite sure what to say. Hisoka walked quickly, darting ahead of him in the narrow hallway, muttering something about going to the library to read up on something before they left. Tsuzuki watched his small form disappear, hanging his head in defeat.

His thoughts drifted to that morning in the hotel room, with a deep frown. Hisoka had pulled away from him when the marks appeared, watching his face with the most agonized expression he'd ever seen from the young man. So many emotions had been present on the troubled face that turned from him, that it tore at him deep inside to recall. Such disappointment, shame, and bitter self loathing had bled into those widened green eyes in that brief and terrible moment, before the boy seemed to shut down, and fold in upon himself like a fan. Tsusuki ran his hand through his dark hair, thinking of how different Hisoka had seemed just seconds before. He'd been so close to uncovering that side of him that had been buried under the pain and memories of abuse, so close to actually seeing him unburdened and happy.

He wondered if he'd ever have such an opportunity again. He'd never felt more helpless and useless in his long existence than when the snake like tendrils, the rusted red stains began to engulf and mar the flesh of the man he held and loved so dearly. There was no way to kiss away that kind of pain, to erase such embedded scars on his mind, soul and body. All the love and tenderness he had ached with just moments before turned to ice water, and then numb nothingness.

Hisoka had pulled the bedclothes around him, sobbing with anger and frustration, and all Tsuzuki could do was leave him be. He'd gone to the bathroom, overwhelmed with nausea, disgusted with his own weakness and inability to comfort Hisoka. When he returned to the bedroom, the lights were out, and an eerie silence had come over the room. He had gone to Hisoka's side, and the steely expression that greeted him was impenetrable.

"Go away. Just go away," came Hisoka's choked whisper.


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Hello! Thank you for all of your nice reviews! I'm attempting to update this at the very least weekly, since it's the weekend when I find myself free to focus on writing. This installment is thankfully a little earler than I'd planned, and I hope you enjoy it. Since this story branched from what was meant to be a rather fluffy oneshot, I hope the change in pace and subject is not too abrupt. - Lucy May_

Hisoka and Tsuzuki looked at one another uneasily as they stood before a rather run down looking cabin where they had been directed to meet their liaisons from the American office. It had taken them the better part of an hour to hike through the humid, swampy woods on the outskirts of town, and they both felt wilted from the heat. Tsuzuki mopped his brow, inwardly cursing the near tropical weather of their new location. Hisoka looked like he only had a tentative hold to consciousness.

"I hope these aren't the accommodations," Tsuzuki said.

"I didn't even think Tatsumi was that cheap," Hisoka muttered in reply. Tsuzuki was about to say something, when a figure bounded into view from around the side of the shack. A boy with light brown skin and gray eyes dressed in blue jean cut offs and a white tee shirt smiled at them in welcome. His long, curly hair was pulled into a topknot atop his head, and he had what appeared to be a fishing pole slung casually over one shoulder.

"Hey there! You must be them fellas from Japan," he said in a friendly drawl. Tsuzuki reached out to shake his hand, with an expression of surprise.

"Yeah, that's us. I'm Tsuzuki, and this is Hisoka," he said, eyeing the boy curiously. He didn't appear to be a day over eighteen.

"Well, great! You're just in time, too. Jarrett's in there cooking up a mess of catfish. There's biscuits and greens, too, I reckon by the smell," the boy said, inclining his head towards the cabin door. "Hope you're hungry." Tsuzuki's eyes lit up.

"Well, that hope's never in vain when it comes to me," Tsuzuki said with a laugh, as they followed the boy up the steps of the rickety porch.

"My name's Hy, by the way. Nice to meet you!" the boy called cheerfully over his shoulder as they entered a small room with a wood floor. It wasn't quite as dismal inside, at least, Tsuzuki thought. The windows were large and adorned with yellow gingham curtains, letting the sunlight shine on the modest but neat furnishings. Hy laid his pole in the corner by the door, and called out a greeting that was answered by a grunt from what could only be the kitchen by the aroma and sounds of cooking drifting through the open door.

"It ain't much, but it's home," Hy said with a contented sigh, sinking into a chair by a well worn wooden table. "Make yourselves at comfortable. Food'll be ready in a minute."

Hisoka and Tsuzuki sat at the table with him, looking around in awkward silence for a moment. Hy lit a very thin cigar and looked at them through the smoke which he exhaled. A man emerged from the kitchen, carrying a stack of plates. He had a rather severe appearance, except for the stained apron he wore. His hair was long and black, pulled back at the nape of his neck, and his face was wary and unsmiling. He reminded Tsuzuki a little bit of Terazuma, he thought with a shudder.

"Awful habit, Hy," the man grumbled, fixing his younger partner with a stern look.

"Can't get any more dead than I am," Hy said, shrugging somewhat irritably. "This is Jarrett, guys, my partner."

Jarrett fixed an icy blue eyed stare upon them, and did the thing Tsuzuki least expected. He smiled at them.

"Well, well, well. Welcome to our humble little abode," he said politely, shaking each of their hands as they introduced themselves. He gave Hisoka a look of interest.

"You're even younger than Hy," he said softly, shaking his head. Hisoka stiffened slightly.

"I apologize. No offense intended," Jarrett said graciously, and returned to the kitchen after laying out the plates. Hy laughed at the expressions on the faces of his guests.

"Jarrett's weird. Just ignore him," Hy said.

"I heard that, you little rascal," Jarrett growled from the kitchen. Hy propped his elbows on the table, lowering his voice.

"Jarrett's old. Like, really old. He died back during the Civil War. He wrote books. Poetry and stuff. You should ask him about it sometime. He's got all sorts of crazy stories. He seems kinda quiet, even unfriendly sometimes, but he's pretty cool. Just always got lots going on up here," the boy said, tapping his temple with a wink. Tsuzuki smiled warmly.

"Sounds like Hisoka here," Tsuzuki said, reaching out to ruffle the boy's hair and stopping, thinking better of it. Hisoka gave them a distracted look, hearing his name.

"What is it?" he asked, blinking.

"I see what you mean," Hy said, Hisoka looking at them both with confusion and annoyance as they started to laugh.

The dinner was excellent. Fried catfish, fluffy biscuits, greens, butter beans, and, to Tsuzuki's delight, a blackberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream.

"You guys sure know how to treat guests. This is excellent," Tsuzuki said happily, his eyes glazing at his sated palette.

"S'what they call southern hospitality," Hy said with a grin.

Hisoka had a brooding, far away look, Tsuzuki noticed with a frown, wishing there was anything he could do to unburden his young partner. He could usually provoke a reluctant smile if he tried hard enough, or at least a distracting show of irritation, but he knew that things were far more delicate right now between them. He only wished he could get Hisoka to talk to him.

"So, how'd you guys die, then?" Hy asked, breaking Tsuzuki from his thoughts. The pair of shinigami stared at the boy with mouths agape. It was absolutely taboo to ask such a question of their past, and they were stunned at the boy's bluntness.

"Hy!" Jarrett said angrily, turning to his guests. "Forgive the boy's rudeness. I'm afraid he hasn't been with the department long." Hy shrugged.

"Sorry, guys. I didn't know it was that big of a deal. I'll tell you about me, anyway. I got eat up by an alligator," Hy said. Jarrett shot him an exasperated look.

"You did not. Stop being ridiculous," the older man said.

"But that's a lot less depressing than the truth," Hy said with a grin, receiving another warning look from his partner. "Oh, all right. I was an orphan, and I had to do a lot of shady things to get by, running drugs and stuff. I got caught in some gang crossfire. I like the alligator story better."

The other three men fell silent, none of them intending to share a story of their own. Jarrett broke the silence at last.

"So, you guys think this Dr. Muraki guy is the one stirring up the trouble?" he asked. "They gave us the file on him. Sounds like one nasty character."

"To say the very least," Tsuzuki said darkly. "Yes, it seems like the kind of case he would be involved in, and we've had -- well, we've had indications that he's at work again."

"Strange case. Well, not so strange for these parts, I guess. It's not like I haven't been hearing zombie stories my whole existence. I've just never come across one personally," Jarrett said with a hollow laugh.

"We have. And it involved Muraki," Hisoka said quietly, everyone's attention turning to him. It was the first thing he'd said the entire meal.

"Well," Jarrett said, clearing his throat. "We'll have time enough to get to business tomorrow. We take things at a leisurely pace here, I guess, but sometimes it's just best to start out fresh, don't you think? Hy, show the gentlemen to their room."

Tsuzuki followed Hy uneasily as they left the table, seeing Hisoka start slightly upon hearing they were to share a room. He watched his young partner's expression return to neutral, though he avoided Tsuzuki's eyes a little too carefully.

"Sorry we haven't got more room, fellas. You're taking my room as it is," Hy said airily, throwing open the door of a cramped little bedroom with a small bed and an uncomfortable looking cot fixed up inside. Hisoka slunk upon the cot without a word, turning on his side.

"Well, good night, guys," Hy said, watching Hisoka's behavior curiously before leaving the room.

"I'll take the cot," Tsuzuki said, putting his bag on the floor.

"You're taller than I am. It's just more practical this way," Hisoka said softly.

Tsuzuki didn't feel like starting an argument. He threw his jacket, which had been long discarded on the hike there, over the foot of the bed and began to unbutton his shirt. It looked as though Hisoka had decided to sleep in his clothes, he thought sadly, knowing it was in an effort to hide the marks, should they return. He could feel the younger man's gaze upon him as he stripped down to his boxers, fighting the urge to look back at him, not wanting to make Hisoka any more uncomfortable. He tried not to think about how incredible it had felt to have Hisoka's body beneath him as he slid beneath the covers.

He turned upon his side to find that the cot was parallel to the bed in such a way that he was staring directly into the troubled green eyes of his partner. He looked so vulnerable and lost in that moment that it was all Tsuzuki could do not to reach over and drag the boy into his arms again. Hisoka turned onto his other side, facing away from Tsuzuki defiantly. Tsuzuki could just make out the unfaded marks, showing where the boy's tee shirt rode up from his jeans.

"Have they ever lasted this long?" Tsuzuki found himself asking, against his better judgment.

"No. Never," Hisoka whispered in the darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

Tsuzuki was awake before Hisoka, and dressed carefully, trying not to disturb the sleeping figure on the cot in the middle of the room. As he neared the door, he looked back at a face he'd always found especially endearing in sleep. All the hard lines brought by sadness and weariness were faded, his mouth slightly open and his expression peaceful. Tsuzuki gave in to his longing to touch him, sweeping the hair gently from the boy's forehead.

"Tsuzuki," Hisoka murmured in his sleep. Tsuzuki smiled gently, feeling as if his heart were swelling.

He walked into the tiny hallway between the two bedrooms and stopped upon hearing the conversation drifting in from the front room.

"Do you think they're lovers?" he heard Hy ask, receiving no reply.

"Don't give me that look. I ain't got nothing against it, I was just wondering is all," Hy said plaintively. Tsuzuki got the impression that the youth was used to these nearly one-sided conversations.

"Well, anyway, I think the kid at least likes the older one. You could see it in the way he looked at him when the other guy wasn't looking. I never seen guys look at each other like that," Hy said, again met with silence.

"You've known people like that, so I thought you'd have picked up on something is all," the boy added with defeat, finally getting an irritated sigh from his companion.

"It's none of our business, Hy. I never took you for such a romantic," Jarrett replied at last, a slight tone of amusement coming through his grumbled words. This time, Hy was the silent half of the conversation.

"I knew of men who loved one another in the war, yes. That doesn't make me an expert. Why are you so interested anyway?" Jarrett asked. Tsuzuki could hear plates being laid out, and realized he'd been so absorbed in the conversation that he'd even gone without noticing the aroma of food.

"I dunno," Hy said, sounding a bit sulky. Tsuzuki took a deep breath and made his presence known, his mind still occupied by Hy's observation of Hisoka's behavior.

"Hey, sleepyhead! Your partner still sleeping?" Hy asked, smoothly recovering as if he hadn't been talking about them just a moment before.

xxxx

"All right. Here's what we know," said a woman from the U.S. division office with a yawn. She looked to be in her late twenties, with blonde hair pulled back into a sloppy bun, and had been introduced to them as Josephine.

"Four graves in an approximate ten mile radius have been found disrupted, the bodies gone. You should find information on the locations of the cemeteries in your paperwork." She said, using the computer she sat at to project enlarged photographs of the crime scenes.

"How do we know it's not just graverobbers?" Tsuzuki asked in confusion. The blonde gave him a heavy lidded glance.

"If you'd read through the case file, you'd know that the graves appear to have been dug from the inside, not the surface. Furthermore, there have been witnesses who've come forward, claiming to see two of the deceased persons walking around. Jarrett and Hy have made inquiries, and from their reports there appears to be no reason to doubt that these four individuals were indeed dead," Josephine said curtly. Hy gave Tsuzuki a sympathetic smile.

"Here are the missing persons," Josephine said, bringing up photographs of each person in turn. "Anna LaRue, aged sixteen, died of a mysterious illness. Beauchamp Greenwood, aged nineteen, also of unknown illness. Then there's Timothy Jones, twenty-one, and Daniel O' Brian, eighteen. All four seem to have wasted away in the prime of health, and their doctors have no idea why they fell ill so suddenly. That, and their relatively young ages are the only connections we have other than such close locations." Tsuzuki looked at Hisoka, who had paled considerably.

xxxx

"That boy's been cursed, I tell you. Caught the attention of the wrong sort somehow. It happens, you know. Had a cousin out towards Metarie told me about it when I was a girl. Folks' son goes missing after he's dead, and they find him a month later, working as a slave to some hoodoo witch. Not alive, mind you, but walking the earth, just as plain as you and me, with the soul sucked clean out of him," Marie Fontaine said, a morbid sort of gleam lighting her aged face.

"Where did you see him?" Hisoka asked, his expression unreadable.

"Saw him clear as day, walking the street in New Orleans. Got a sister out there trying to clean up the mess that hurricane left her house in, and I saw him in the Quarter. Told her that was the O' Brian boy that died last month. She said I was crazy, but it's true," the elderly woman said, shaking her head and petting a large orange cat that curled upon the afghan laid across her thin legs.

"Was there anyone with him?" Tsuzuki asked, looking up from the milk and cookies she'd provided. She nodded.

"Yep, and that was the part that was most suspicious of all. He was being guided around like a blind man by this fella all dressed in white," she said.

"Thank you for your help," Tsuzuki said, as he and Hisoka got up to go rather abruptly.

"Hang on a second. You've been inhaling my cookies, so I'll pack you some to go. Lord knows I don't need them. Ain't got any damn teeth to chew them with anymore," she muttered, rising slowly from her seat and tottering into the kitchen. Tsuzuki turned to his partner.

"You okay, Hisoka?" he asked with concern. Hisoka nodded moodily, not meeting his eyes.

"Let's get back to the cabin and contact Tatsumi to let him know we're going to the city. And he'd better book us a hotel with air-conditioning," Hisoka said, trying to force a smile, a gesture requiring an amount of will that did not go unnoticed by Tsuzuki. Marie returned to the living room.

"You boys are so nice. I hope you'll come to see me again," Marie said, handing Tsuzuki a bag of cookies. The two shinigami exchanged a sad, knowing glance before saying their goodbyes.

xxxx

The four men met at a sidewalk cafe near the French Market as soon as they arrived in New Orleans.

"Man, you two lucked out. Our witness liked to have threatened to shoot us when we couldn't provide credentials," Hy said, shaking his bushy topknot.

"We finally got the information from him, however. He saw the Greenwood boy while he was delivering relief packages to the city. He was with a young woman," Jarrett said before sipping his thick chickory coffee.

"A young woman?" Tsuzuki asked with surprise, wiping the powdered sugar from his beignet off of his chin with a napkin.

"Yeah, he said she was dressed like a hippie," Hy said with a laugh. "She's probably a fortune teller or something."

"That really doesn't narrow it down much on the girl. That Muraki guy sounds distinctive enough though," Jarrett said. Hisoka stared at his untouched plate of doughy sweets, which Tsuzuki was beginning to eye.

"It's not that difficult to find someone who wants to be found," Hisoka said. "What else have you found out?"

"He saw them at dusk, near St. Louis two," Hy said.

"Saint Louis two?" Tsuzuki asked.

"Cemetery," Jarrett said. "Maybe we should split up and ask around some of the shops. If this lady is a fortune teller or something similar, she probably has a business open somewhere. We can meet back here just before evening and check out the cemetery." Tsuzuki and Hisoka agreed to the plan, gathering some basic information on where to start their search of the Quarter.

They moved silently through the crowd, unseen by most unless they wished to be noticed. The heat was heavy and humid, and the sidewalks packed with street performers and tourists. There seemed to be countless little shops offering tarot readings and gris-gris bags, and the pair felt a little overwhelmed in choosing where to begin.

Several hours later, they still hadn't uncovered anything useful. The people they had encountered ranged from tight lipped and suspicious to the completely clueless.

"All right, Hisoka. One more place, and then we're eating," Tsuzuki said. Hisoka opened his mouth to protest, but was cut off. "Don't deny that you're in need of a rest. It won't make things go any faster if you collapse in the street."

"Fine," Hisoka muttered in consent, as the bell above the door of the shop jingled at their entry.

"Well hello there," a voice called from behind a beaded curtain. A beautiful woman emerged, her dark complexion and brightly colored clothing enchanting to behold. She smiled brightly and shook Tsuzuki's hand.

"I am Cassandra. You've come a very long way, haven't you? You're looking for someone," she said, looking deeply into his eyes. Tsuzuki laughed.

"You're pretty good! Did you hear that Hisoka?" Tsuzuki said. The young man shrugged noncommittally.

"Hisoka," she said. "You're from Japan, correct?" Tsuzuki nodded enthusiastically.

"Well done again. We've come to ask if you've seen any of the people in these photographs," Tsuzuki said, handing them to her. She tucked a lock of curly black hair behind her ear, her earring dangling back and forth as she looked thoughtfully at each picture.

"My shop is very popular. I do not recognize anyone, and my memory is good. Perhaps I should get your number in case one of them shows up," she said. Tsuzuki gave her the number of the cell phone they had been provided with before they left.

"Well, that was a bust," Tsuzuki said, digging into a desert smothered with pralines and caramel. Hisoka ate his po boy sandwich, saying nothing, and staring out of the window with a distracted look. Tsuzuki reached across the table, wiping a bit of mustard from the boy's mouth with his thumb, remembering the icing he'd licked from that very spot just a few days ago with a sigh. He expected Hisoka to stiffen, but instead he actually seemed to incline his head slightly towards Tsuzuki's touch, his eyes questioning.

"There you guys are!" Tsuzuki heard a voice call behind him, reluctantly dropping his hand and turning around to see Hy and Jarrett enter the restaurant.

"No need to go cemetery hopping tonight, boys. We got a bonafide lead," the boy said, falling into the chair beside Hisoka with a grin.

"We talked to a woman who's seen Muraki at the market every morning for a week. I say we turn in early and head out there tomorrow bright and early," Jarrett said. Tsuzuki readily agreed, eventually convincing Hisoka to go the hotel with him.

"Well, Tatsumi met us half way, it seems. It's a nice hotel, but we're still sharing a room," Tsuzuki said, throwing himself back on the bed with a tired groan. Hisoka looked at the other bed irritably, only removing his shoes before sliding beneath the covers and turning out the light. Tsuzuki listened to his partner's breathing for a while in the darkness before attempting to speak to him.

"Hisoka?" he asked, receiving a grunt in reply. Tsuzuki continued to speak.

"That expression on your face, before the others came in -- I -- I was just wondering if maybe you still --"

"I was just surprised, that's all," Hisoka said softly. Tsuzuki turned towards him on the bed, making out his huddled form in the dim light.

"Surprised?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka released a heavy sigh.

"Surprised that you still wanted to touch me, after -- after," Hisoka stammered, his voice becoming a choked sob. Tsuzuki sat upright, flinging his legs off the bed and going to Hisoka's side.

"How could you think that I wouldn't want to touch you?" Tsuzuki said, his voice cracking with emotion as he slid beneath the covers, pulling the quivering boy to him.

"You were -- Oh, God, the look on your face when you saw --," Hisoka cried in an agonized voice. Tsuzuki gently hushed him, turning the younger man to face him.

"You were disgusted. I know you were," Hisoka whispered, burying his face into Tsuzuki's chest. Tsuzuki fought back his own tears, overcome with shame.

"So you've thought, all this time, that I had rejected you?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka nodded, sniffling.

"Oh, Hisoka," Tsuzuki murmured, placing his hand beneath the young man's chin and carefully forcing him to look up. He placed his lips softly against Hisoka's.

Tsuzuki slowly deepened the kiss, pulling the boy's body to him in a fierce embrace. Hisoka looked at him in wonder as they pulled apart slightly.

"I was never disgusted by you. Never you. I was upset, and angry, and I just felt so helpless. I didn't know how to comfort you, and I couldn't go back and protect you from all the horrible things that you've been through, and it just overwhelmed me," Tsuzuki whispered, nuzzling into Hisoka's hair and rubbing his back soothingly. He planted small kisses, working his way down to the boy's neck, nibbling gently at the tender flesh, and pulling and the collar of Hisoka's shirt in an effort to reveal more soft skin. Hisoka panted and moaned at the attentions, before pushing Tsuzuki away.

"I -- I can't do this right now. Please," Hisoka begged. Tsuzuki relented, looking into his partner's face.

"I need more time. I don't want his mark there when we --" Hisoka said uneasily. Tsuzuki nodded and pulled the boy back into his arms.

"It's okay, Hisoka. I understand. Everything's going to be okay now," Tsuzuki said quietly.


	6. Chapter 6

"The sun hasn't even risen, and it's already hot," Hisoka said irritably, fanning himself with his hand. Tsuzuki stepped close behind him, and when no one was looking, licked the back of his partner's neck, his tongue chilled by the iced tea he'd bought from one of the vendors. Hisoka yelped in protest, blushing deeply, as Tsuzuki walked past him casually with a wink.

The four men split up to search the French Market for any sign of Muraki. Tsuzuki cursed his modest allowance as he was tempted by a different sweet from every side. After countless inquiries turned up no leads, he shuffled back towards their starting point, waiting for the others. Hy waved at him, making his way toward him through the crowd.

"Tsuzuki! I didn't find him, but I did find a fish merchant who's seen him. She said that Muraki has been requesting for her to get him some fugu, Japanese puffer fish. Does that mean anything to you?" the boy asked. Tsuzuki shook his head.

"Maybe he's homesick?" Tsuzuki asked with a shrug. Hisoka and Jarrett had joined them.

"The only thing I know about puffer fish is that it's highly toxic when not prepared right. It's always risky to eat it," Hisoka said.

"Wow. Like a Russian roulette on a plate," Hy said.

"More or less," Hisoka said. "Did any of the victims have an autopsy?" Jarrett shrugged.

"I'm not sure. Why?" Jarrett asked.

"I was just wondering if the results turned up any signs of poisoning," Hisoka said.

"I like your instincts. We should check in with Josephine about this," Jarrett said.

xxxx

Jarrett left for the office, leaving the other three shinigami at the market. Hy gave them a doubtful look.

"I don't think they're still alive, if that's what you're thinking," Hy said.

"Oh?" Hisoka asked. Hy shook his head.

"Their candles went out, even if they haven't shown up in the spiritual realm. There are no souls left to gather. If they're alive, it's just in the functioning sense, you know," Hy said.

"Maybe. But we still need to find them if we're ever going to get answers," Hisoka said, gazing at a rack of postcards with a somewhat distracted air.

"You've got a Hall of Candles, too?" Tsuzuki asked to break the ensuing silence. Hy nodded.

"Course we do. I don't like it there one bit, though. The guy who runs it gives me the heebie jeebies." Tsusuki gave an uneasy laugh.

"I know just what you mean," he said.

"Jarrett warned me never to let him do me any kind of favor if I could help it," Hy said. Tsuzuki wiped at the sweat beginning to bead on his forehead.

"Is that right?" he asked quietly.

Hisoka turned on his heel and began to walk away from them.

"Where are we going?" Tsuzuki asked, as they rushed to catch up with him.

"Not far. I want to go to Jackson Square," Hisoka said.

"You're usually the one telling me not to sight see," Tsuzuki said. Hisoka gave a dismissive gesture.

"I just have a hunch about something," Hisoka said.

The three men left the French Market, crossing a busy street and eventually coming upon the tourist crammed square, side stepping artists who had set up their paintings along the walkway. A large statue of Andrew Jackson astride his horse loomed above them, as they made their way to the large building beyond it, its high steeple cutting across the bright morning sky.

"St. Louis Cathedral?" Hy asked, as they headed towards the entrance to the church.

"Our doctor has a strange fixation with Christian churches," Tsuzuki murmured, seeing the logic in Hisoka's thinking.

They entered the cool, quiet sanctuary from the front room, looking around the long benches at the few people scattered throughout the church, where the morning mass had long ended. Tsuzuki saw Hisoka suck in a breath, following his gaze to the distinctive figure in white seated near the front pew.

"I'll be damned," Tsuzuki whispered.

"Let's go," Hy said, starting towards the aisle. Hisoka grabbed his arm to hold him back.

"No," Hisoka said. "We need to stay back and follow him. He may lead us to the others."

After an excruciating wait, the three finally spotted the doctor leaving the church, following at some distance behind. Tsuzuki wondered the entire time if the doctor was all too aware of their presence, and was planning on how best to toy with them as he made his way through the crowd, but his leisurely pace gave nothing away. Muraki finally led them to Bourbon Street, where he entered a small shop with dusty windows. Hy looked to the other two, receiving nods before following the man inside, he being the only one the doctor would not recognize.

The pair waited, saying nothing, as people walked past on the sidewalk. An elderly man approached them with a charming smile.

"Hey there, young fella," he said, addressing Tsuzuki. "If you'll kindly lend me a dollar, I'll tell you where you got your shoes." He gestured at Tsuzuki's feet. Hisoka rolled his eyes.

"He's just going to tell you you've got them on Bourbon Street. Now go away," Hisoka muttered to the crestfallen man. Tsuzuki laughed, giving the man a pat on the back.

"That's a good one! I think that's worth something," Tsuzuki said, fishing in his pocket, and presenting the man with a bill. The man's eyes widened at the twenty as he took it.

"I thank you kindly, good sir," the man said with a slight bow and a grin, making his way back into the crowd. Hisoka stared at Tsuzuki in disbelief.

"Why did you do that? He was trying to con you. I could read him from a mile away," Hisoka said. Tsuzuki shrugged.

"He noticed us without our willing it," Tsuzuki said, giving the younger man a meaningful look, smiling sadly. Hisoka nodded slowly, touched by his partner's compassion for the dying man. He was about to speak, when his cell phone rang.

"Hy says Muraki made a run for it out the back door. He's following him. this way!" Hisoka said, dashing towards the alleyway.

Tsuzuki followed on his heels, jumping over piles on trash, and nearly collided with Hy as reached the back of the building. Hisoka had turned the corner and was ahead of them now, Tsusuki catching a glimpse of white disappearing into the back door of another building. Hisoka was close behind, Tsuzuki and Hy finally reaching the rusty metal door a few seconds after him. The building they entered was dark, and he could hear things being turned over, and cursing as he stumbled across the room. He followed the sounds, coming out into a front room where the windows let in the light. It was an abandoned shop of some kind, and the front glass door was swung open. Tsuzuki and Hy rushed outside to the sidewalk beyond. Hisoka and Muraki were nowhere to be found.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: First off, I'd like to thank my returning reviewers, Eternity's Heir, Daisuke Captain Obvious, Amethyst-eyed Koneko (your reviews are so friendly; they make my day!), Tamso Bijau, Catwarrior, AnimeAngelRin, Sanousuke S. Sagara (thank you for loving Hy and Jarrett:), eternalsailorsolarwind, and everyone else who has taken the time to read my story! Sorry about the cliff hanger last chapter. It just seemed like a good place to stop!

"No!" Tsuzuki screamed, his knees nearly giving out as he looked about helplessly. Hy grabbed Tsuzuki's arm, shouldering the man's weight enough to give him balance.

"It's okay, Tsuzuki. He's a guardian. He'll be all right," Hy said. Tsuzuki shook his head.

"You don't understand. Muraki is powerful. He's vicious. He'll hurt him. The last time -- he sliced him to ribbons," Tsuzuki wailed. "Hisoka doesn't have a shiki to protect him. This is all my fault. He wants me. Why didn't he take me?"

"Because he's a coward, hiding behind someone you love to get to you," Hy spat angrily. "Hisoka said himself that he wants to be found. We'll find them, Tsuzuki, don't worry."

xxxx

Tsuzuki spent hours wandering the streets of the French Quarter, tirelessly looking into every open doorway, scanning every terrace and alleyway for something, anything that might provide him with a clue as to where Muraki had disappeared to. Hy had gone to retrace their steps, and to contact Jarrett and Josephine. Tsuzuki thought briefly of getting in touch with Tatsumi, but knew even he could be of little help in this situation.

He had nearly lost all hope, when his phone rang.

"Mr. Tsuzuki?" a woman's voice asked.

"Yes? Who is this?"

"This is Cassandra, from the other day. I saw the man in the photo you showed me, the one all dressed in white. He just left my shop and was headed towards Rue Street," she said. Tsuzuki thanked her and crammed the phone in his jacket pocket. Rue Street was less than a block away.

xxxx

Breathlessly, he caught a glimpse of Muraki sliding behind the wheel of a black car, pulling onto the street before Tsuzuki could catch up. Unable to fly in his present form, he did the only thing he could, hailing a taxi.

"Follow that black car ahead," he demanded the girl driving the cab.

"Really? Wow, that's like something from a movie," she said cheerfully, swiftly swinging into traffic at full speed, throwing Tsuzuki back against the seat.

"So, who're we chasing?" she called over her shoulder as she ran a red light, bringing the other car back into view. Tsuzuki sighed with relief, fearing they'd lost them.

"Um -- a guy. He took something I need to get back," Tsuzuki said, his purple eyes watching the road ahead intently.

"Uh-huh," the girl said skeptically, getting the message that further inquiry would be useless.

Now that they had caught up to him, the chase was rather uneventful. Muraki drove pretty sensibly for a psychotic murderer, Tsusuki noted, as they followed behind him across what had to be the longest bridge in the world. Tsusuki groaned impatiently.

"Calm down, cutie. We'll get there. Wherever there is," the girl said.

The landscape changed drastically, Tsuzuki taking in the part of the city that had been devastated by recent flood and storm. He thought briefly of Josephine at the Ministry office, realizing why she seemed so weary and overworked, this being her jurisdiction. This in turn reminded him of Hy and Jarrett. He pulled out the cell phone and called Hy, telling him what had happened, and giving him the closest description he could of his present location.

The black car began to slow, pulling into a row of damaged and run down houses.

"Pull over," he asked the girl, who complied, letting their target go ahead, parking at the other end of the street.

"Good luck, cutie," the girl said as he paid her, tipping her handsomely, knowing he'd took her well out of her usual section of town.

Tsuzuki proceeded cautiously, darting across yards and between houses until he was well in view of the stopped vehicle. Muraki was leaning over the open trunk, where Tsuzuki saw Hisoka laying unconscious. He was startled as the passenger door swung open, revealing someone he hadn't expected.

" Good work, Cassandra," Muraki said, caressing the side of the young woman's face. "This whole experiment has gotten more interesting than I even imagined."

Tsuzuki watched, the blood draining from his face, as Muraki looked knowingly in his direction before swinging the limp boy's body over his shoulder and carrying him into a small house at the end of the drive. Cassandra ambled towards him on shaky legs, reaching for his arm. Tsuzuki backed away from her.

"Now, now, Mr. Tsuzuki, I'm merely escorting you inside. You're not afraid of little me, are you?" she purred. Tsuzuki stared at her angrily, brushing past her towards the house.

"I'm not afraid of you. I just don't trust you," he said. The woman flew at him, her long fingernails digging into his sleeve.

"Then I must insist," she hissed, her eyes flashing red. Tsuzuki gave a heavy sigh, shaking her from him, retrieving a fuda from his jacket and spinning around to face her.

"Prepare to be exorcized, demonic spirit," he said, and began to chant an incantation. He stopped, upon hearing slow applause behind him, turning around.

"Always prepared for any scenario, like a good little boy scout," Muraki said, dropping his hands. "Your melodrama is highly unnecessary. If little Cassandra bothers you so much, I can fix that. Cassandra?" The bewitched woman turned to him expectantly.

"Yes, Master?" she asked. Muraki smiled.

"Die," the doctor commanded. The woman's eyes widened slightly, her mouth agape, as blood began to stain her lips. She slumped to the ground silently.

"Pity. She was a very interesting acquaintance. Did you know that she was in her sixties? No, you wouldn't, to look at her. Very clever, and very powerful woman. In fact, she was the one who taught me the marking curse I placed upon the boy. It must be that connection that is making it shine so prettily again," Muraki said, his silver eye gleaming while the other stayed concealed behind a lock of white hair.

"Where's Hisoka, you sick son of a bitch?" Tsuzuki growled through clenched teeth. Muraki sighed.

"Always such a one track mind with you during our all too brief meetings," Muraki said. "Very well. Follow me."

Tsuzuki followed Muraki into the house, always keeping his guard up. The front room was crammed with odd statues, jars of things he couldn't identify, and stank of stale incense. Hisoka was stretched out upon a dusty chaise lounge, his body stripped and the markings blazing a strange map of patterns across his skin. His eyes were open and glassy. He looked like a lifeless doll.

"He's never looked more beautiful, has he?" Muraki murmured, running a long white finger across his chest.

"Don't touch him!" Tsuzuki yelled, lunging at the doctor, who stepped out of his way, laughing.

"I've had him already, Tsuzuki. He is of no use to me," Muraki said, as Tsuzuki pulled himself up from where he'd fallen across the boy.

"What have you done to him?" Tsuzuki demanded, staring into Hisoka's blank eyes.

"He's very much alive, if that's what you're wondering. Why, I expect his mind is racing in a most claustrophobic little hell right now. He can hear and see everything," Muraki said. Tsuzuki shuddered.

"The toxin from the puffer fish," Tsuzuki said, looking up.

"Very good, Tsuzuki. I see we have done our homework. The dosage would have been lethal for a mere mortal, but he will recover," Muraki said.

"That's what you used on the victims. What have you done with them, Muraki? They're still alive, aren't they?" he asked, looking around the room for any signs of their presence.

"They were," Muraki said with a shrug. "I treated them to a traditional zombie death when I was through. The blame will all fall upon our Madame Cassandra, I fear. There have been superstitious rumors about her for years."

Tsuzuki caught a quick, involuntary glance from Muraki's eye towards a door just behind him. He quickly flung it open, and recoiled in horror. There, upon the floor, were the neatly stacked victims, their eyes glazed over with a white film, and their lips sewn shut. The floor was scattered with salt, which crunched beneath his feet as he turned on his heel.

Muraki was bent over the prostrate form of Hisoka, as he looked up at Tsuzuki.

"How sad to be used so early into existence. He'll never be entirely yours, Tsuzuki, no matter how badly you want him," Muraki said, his hair falling away from his mismatched eyes, watching him eagerly. Tsuzuki used all his self control, trying not to give Muraki the pleasure of feeding upon his anger.

"He was never yours, Muraki. You can't force anyone to be yours. I live for Hisoka alone. I belong to him, not the other way around," Tsuzuki said, focusing his gaze upon the staring green eyes of the boy before him. Muraki stood upright, bored with what he failed to manipulate.

"Tsuzuki, I am touched that my favorite playmates have come to visit me. It was an unexpected and delightful surprise, but I have other things to attend to," the doctor said, standing upright and turning towards the door.

"You're not going anywhere, Muraki. This ends here," Tsuzuki said through clenched teeth, reaching into his jacket. He froze, as an icy hand encircled his wrist with a steel-like grip.

"You're wrong, my darling Tsuzuki. We have many more rounds left in our game," Muraki said, turning the handle on the door. "Oh, and a bit of parting advice. Broken things should really be disposed of." And with that, he was gone. The clammy hand that held him relented, slinking lifelessly back to the floor.


	8. Chapter 8

_A/N: Hello, darling readers! I'm actually sad to be finished. This was fun, due in no small part to your nice reviews. I've decided to make up for all angst and cliffhanging woe I may have caused with a chapter full of fluffy goodness for you. I hope very much that you will find it to your liking. I had planned to put a twist of lemon in this final chapter (hence the temporary rating spike), but took a slightly tamer route, since this fic has been T for so long and I didn't want to put anyone off. Anyhoo, thanks!_

Tsuzuki watched over Hisoka for most of the night, hoping the boy was comfortable, and wondering if he could sleep in his condition. He'd closed the boy's watering eyes, hoping the darkness would not be too disconcerting for him, as he would be unable to open them on his own. Just in case, he held him close, whispering reassurances, until he fell asleep himself.

He awoke with a start, nightmares of the day before tormenting him with images of lifeless bodies that could still think and feel. He felt reassured by the warmth of the body beside him, opening his eyes to gaze at him. Hisoka stirred, blinking eyes thick with sleep.

"Hisoka, you're awake," Tsuzuki said happily, as the green eyes met his, a smile forming on Hisoka's small lips. Tsuzuki captured them with his own.

"Get off me, Tsuzuki. My muscles are still so stiff that I'm sore. I need to move," Hisoka grumbled, sitting up and placing his feet carefully on the floor. As he took his first wobbly step, Tsuzuki gasped.

"What is it?" Hisoka asked, supporting himself on the nightstand.

"The marks, Hisoka. They're fading," Tsuzuki said, staring at the boy's bare back. Hisoka looked at his body, turning to face his partner.

"So they are," he said with a smile, which faded quickly into blushing. "For God's sake, Tsuzuki! You could have at least put my clothes back on!"

Tsuzuki grinned as the modest boy rushed to the bathroom, his atrophied muscles miraculously healed.

xxxx

The pair were taken by surprise as they reported to the U.S. division office, which was decorated nicely with a banner wishing them farewell, and lavishly catered with shrimp, barbecue and many delectable deserts.

"Tatsumi would never do this," Tsuzuki said, tears forming in his eyes as he gazed at the sweets in particular. "Let's transfer!"

"Like they'd have you, slacker," Hisoka teased.

Hy and Jarrett approached them, with hand shakes and firm pats on their backs. Hy even went so far as to hug Tsuzuki tightly, to the older man's surprise.

"It's been a pleasure to work with you," Jarrett said. "You'll always have a place to stay here if you ever return."

"Hey, the same goes for you guys if you're ever in Japan!" Tsuzuki said cheerfully. Hy looked at his partner hopefully.

"Can we go? Next holiday, maybe?" Hy asked.

"Maybe," Jarrett said with a smile.

"I'm afraid we weren't much help in the long run, though," Hisoka said darkly. Hy shook his head, his ponytail bobbing.

"No, we probably would have never found them without you. We were able to bring one of the souls to the Netherworld, anyway, and that counts for plenty," Hy said.

"Oh?" Hisoka asked, having been laid up in bed during the aftermath of the case.

"The girl was able to be saved," Tsuzuki said. "Muraki either lied or wasn't aware that she had pulled through. Her soul was intact, her energy unabsorbed by him."

"Well, that's great," Hisoka said, giving one of his rare smiles.

The four men walked to the buffet, Tsuzuki merrily stacking his plate high. Hisoka watched him, pleased to see his partner so happy.

"I'm glad things seem to be working out between you two," Hy whispered in Hisoka's ear and giving him a wink. Hisoka blushed furiously, joining Tsuzuki at the table.

"I think I've been a bad influence on you," Tsuzuki said.

"How's that?" Hisoka asked, taking a sip of champagne.

"Two years ago, you were such a lightweight that that one sip would floor you," Tsuzuki said with a laugh. Hisoka glared at him.

"I'm not a kid anymore," he said defiantly.

"No, you're not," Tsuzuki agreed, giving Hisoka a look that made his heart beat faster.

"Tsuzuki, what you said in that house, about living for me --" Hisoka began, hushed as the older man placed a finger to his lips.

"Let's skip desert," Tsuzuki said, his voice husky. Hisoka's eyes widened.

"Are you feeling all right, Tsuzuki?" Hisoka asked, looking around him for a sign that the Underworld had indeed frozen over. Tsuzuki laughed.

"Just kidding! I've got a better idea," Tsuzuki said.

"Which is?" Hisoka asked, his breath becoming shorter.

"Let's take desert back to our room," Tsuzuki whispered, licking his lips, and pulling Hisoka to his feet.

"You're not even going to let me think this through, are you?" Hisoka asked, as Tsuzuki handed him one plate of sweets and began to fill another.

"Nope," Tsusuki murmured, placing his palm squarely against the boy's back and coaxing him towards the door. "Thinking is overrated."

"But --" Hisoka protested.

"No buts," Tsuzuki said quietly, raising his hand and giving a cheerful good bye to their hosts.

xxxx

They were back to the room in record time, desert and all. Tsuzuki yelped in surprise as Hisoka pushed him back onto the bed the moment their plates were set aside. Hisoka climbed over the other man, looking at his startled expression with amusement.

"God, just tell me that you're real," Hisoka murmured, gazing into his face with wonder before kissing him hungrily. His hands roamed beneath Tsuzuki's untucked shirt, his fingers running over the older man's flesh curiously.

Tsuzuki felt overwhelmed, seeing the reserved boy so wanton and free. This was well worth living for.

He carefully pulled the boy's shirt from him, their pause only momentary. The marks had almost completely faded.

"Good enough. Want you," Hisoka gasped, as Tsuzuki's hands felt their way up the sides of his chest. Tsuzuki watched him, recalling how modest he'd been just hours before. Hisoka was certainly full of surprises.

xxxx

The morning light awoke the lovers, who reluctantly stirred. Tsuzuki stroked Hisoka's hair, as the younger man nestled his head into his side.

"How are you feeling?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka lovingly caressed the older man's chest.

"Amazing," Hisoka admitted with a soft murmur. Tsuzuki grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, I'm glad you're pleased," he said, coloring slightly.

"Do we have to go back already? I mean, I can do the paperwork from here," Hisoka said, looking up with a gleam in his eyes.

"We've already exhausted the budget. Tatsumi won't like it if we take longer than necessary," Tsuzuki said, trying out his novel role as the sensible one in the argument.

"We can stop at the Cafe du Monde later," Hisoka said temptingly.

"Well, when you put it that way --" Tsuzuki said, his eyes rolled upward thoughtfully. "I've fully corrupted you, haven't I?"

"Utterly," Hisoka said, pulling Tsuzuki's head down for a searing kiss. "I love touching you now. Your compassion, contentment, lust, love --" Hisoka stopped, looking at his partner questioningly.

"I love you," Tsuzuki whispered, nodding. Hisoka pulled away from him slightly.

"Sorry. Too intense for a moment," Hisoka said with a small gasp, breathing heavily. "Love you, too."

Tsuzuki pulled Hisoka back towards him, kissing him gently. The plate on the dresser behind his lover caught his eye.

"There's still some desert left!" he cried happily, crawling over Hisoka to retrieve the platter of sweets. Hisoka groaned.

"You and your priorities," the boy muttered. Tsuzuki pouted.

"There's enough for both of us," Tsuzuki whimpered, forcing a plastic fork full of pecan pie at his partner. Hisoka gaped at him as he chewed the rich desert.

"You'd share your pie with me?" Hisoka asked in awe. "You really do love me."

"Oh, hush," Tsuzuki said with his mouth full, knowing he was being teased.

xxxx

"Good work, guys. Muraki's still on the loose, but at least we recovered one of the victims. Bringing down Cassandra Molve was a bonus as well," Tatsumi said, looking over Hisoka's report.

"Well, Muraki was really the one that brought her down, technically speaking," Tsuzuki said with a shrug.

"Nonetheless, we've had a case file on her for decades in the Ministry. She was quite a handful. Her judgment trail should be interesting indeed," Watari said with a chuckle. Tatsumi's eyes narrowed slightly, as he lowered the report and focused on the pair of shiningami before him.

"But I'm not entirely pleased. There's still the matter of your budget expenditures for your last two assignments," Tatsumi said.

"He's got the scary face on!" Watari chimed in a sing-song way.

Tsuzuki whimpered, while Hisoka's face was set in unreadable defiance.

"First, you spent a three day budget on an assignment that turned out to only take one day. Secondly, you spent an unnecessary extra day in New Orleans. Would you care to explain yourselves?" Tatsumi asked with cool fury.

"Um -- well," Tsuzuki stammered.

"It was my doing, Tatsumi. Tsuzuki had nothing to do with it," Hisoka explained calmly.

"Oh, I think he did!" Watari exclaimed, turning to Tatsumi with a grin. "Leave them alone, Tatsumi. Can't you tell they're in love?" Tatsumi lost all composure, his gaping mouth forming no coherent words. Hisoka cursed in embarrassment, burying his burning face in his hands.

"Yes, well," Tatsumi said, clearing his throat and rising from his chair awkwardly. "Don't do it again. Here's you next assignment." Tatsumi dropped a case file on the table, wandering back to his office with a dazed expression. Watari swooped down between the pair excitedly.

"I knew it would happen eventually!" Watari squealed, beaming. "I've so won my bet with Yuma and Saya! They thought it would take at least another month. So did you have a romantic honeymoon?" Hisoka rose from his seat very slowly.

"Must -- fight -- urge -- to -- kill -- you," Hisoka said through grinding teeth, leaving the room quickly once he was on his feet.

"Well that wasn't very nice," Watari said, pouting for about ten seconds and then smiling again. "So, do tell, Tsuzuki!" Tsuzuki laughed nervously.

"I don't think Hisoka would appreciate it if I said anything. I'm not the type to kiss and tell, what can I say?" Tsuzuki said, fighting back the urge to grin like mad.

"It's true then? And I was only joking!" Watari said with delight, clapping his hands. Tsuzuki glared at him.

"I hate you, Watari," he grumbled insincerely, leaving the room to catch up with Hisoka, Watari's laughter following him all the way down the hallway. He hadn't gotten far, when two small arms pulled him into an open doorway and he was being kissed heatedly by Hisoka.

"All right," Hisoka said breathlessly, pulling away from their embrace. "I've got that out of my system. Let's get to work."

Hisoka watched his partner with a swelling of love and awe, before following him.


	9. Chapter 8: Uncensored version M

_A/N: Hi! As a treat for my readers who requested it, here is the original, uncensored chapter eight. The only changes occur in the love and morning after scenes. It is a YAOI LEMON. You've been warned._

_Anyway, no promises, as inspiration is fickle, but I am seriously considering a sequel. If you have any really good ideas or suggestions for a continuation, feel free to contact me._

Tsuzuki watched over Hisoka for most of the night, hoping the boy was comfortable, and wondering if he could sleep in his condition. He'd closed the boy's watering eyes, hoping the darkness would not be too disconcerting for him, as he would be unable to open them on his own. Just in case, he held him close, whispering reassurances, until he fell asleep himself.

He awoke with a start, nightmares of the day before tormenting him with images of lifeless bodies that could still think and feel. He felt reassured by the warmth of the body beside him, opening his eyes to gaze at him. Hisoka stirred, blinking eyes thick with sleep.

"Hisoka, you're awake," Tsuzuki said happily, as the green eyes met his, a smile forming on Hisoka's small lips. Tsuzuki captured them with his own.

"Get off me, Tsuzuki. I'm so stiff that I'm sore. I need to move," Hisoka grumbled, sitting up and placing his feet carefully on the floor. As he took his first wobbly step, Tsuzuki gasped.

"What is it?" Hisoka asked, supporting himself on the nightstand.

"The marks, Hisoka. They're fading," Tsuzuki said, staring at the boy's bare back. Hisoka looked at his body, turning to face his partner.

"So they are," he said with a smile, which faded quickly into blushing. "For God's sake, Tsuzuki! You could have at least put my clothes back on!"

Tsuzuki grinned as the modest boy rushed to the bathroom.

xxxx

The pair were taken by surprise as they reported to the U.S. division office, which was decorated nicely with a banner wishing them farewell, and lavishly catered with shrimp, barbecue and many delectable deserts.

"Tatsumi would never do this," Tsuzuki said, tears forming in his eyes as he gazed at the sweets in particular. "Let's transfer!"

"Like they'd have you, slacker," Hisoka teased.

Hy and Jarrett approached them, with hand shakes and firm pats on their backs. Hy even went so far as to hug Tsuzuki tightly, to the older man's surprise.

"It's been a pleasure to work with you," Jarrett said. "You'll always have a place to stay here if you ever return."

"Hey, the same goes for you guys if you're ever in Japan!" Tsusuki said cheerfully. Hy looked at his partner hopefully.

"Can we go? Next holiday, maybe?" Hy asked.

"Maybe," Jarrett said with a smile.

"I'm afraid we weren't much help in the long run, though," Hisoka said darkly. Hy shook his head, his topkot bobbing.

"No, we probably would have never found them without you. We were able to bring one of the souls to the Netherworld, anyway, and that counts for plenty," Hy said.

"Oh?" Hisoka asked, having been laid up in bed during the aftermath of the case.

"The girl was still alive," Tsuzuki said. "Muraki either lied or wasn't aware that she had pulled through."

"Well, that's great," Hisoka said, giving one of his rare smiles.

The four men walked to the buffet, Tsuzuki merrily stacking his plate high. Hisoka watched him, pleased to see his partner so happy.

"I'm glad things seem to be working out between you two," Hy whispered in Hisoka's ear and giving him a wink. Hisoka blushed furiously, joining Tsuzuki at the table.

"I think I've been a bad influence on you," Tsusuki said.

"How's that?" Hisoka asked, taking a sip of champagne.

"Two years ago, you were such a lightweight that that one sip would floor you," Tsuzuki said with a laugh. Hisoka glared at him.

"I'm not a kid anymore!" he said defiantly.

"No, you're not," Tsuzuki agreed, giving Hisoka a look that made his heat beat faster.

"Tsuzuki, what you said in that house, about living for me --" Hisoka began, hushed as the older man placed a finger to his lips.

"Let's skip desert," Tsuzuki said, his voice husky. Hisoka's eyes widened.

"Are you feeling all right, Tsuzuki?" Hisoka asked, looking around him for a sign that the Underworld had indeed frozen over. Tsuzuki laughed.

"Just kidding! I've got a better idea," Tsuzuki said.

"Which is?" Hisoka asked, his breath becoming shorter.

"Let's take desert back to our room," Tsuzuki whispered, licking his lips, and pulling Hisoka to his feet.

"You're not even going to let me think this through, are you?" Hisoka asked, as Tsuzuki handed him one plate of sweets and began to fill another.

"Nope," Tsusuki murmured, placing his palm squarely against the boy's back and coaxing him towards the door. "Thinking is overrated."

"But --" Hisoka protested.

"No buts," Tsuzuki said quietly, raising his hand and giving a cheerful good bye to their hosts.

xxxx

They were back to the room in record time, desert and all. Tsuzuki yelped in surprise as Hisoka pushed him back onto the bed the moment their plates were set aside. Hisoka climbed over the other man, looking at his startled expression with amusement.

"God, just tell me that you're real," Hisoka murmured, gazing into his face with wonder before kissing him hungrily. His hands roamed beneath Tsuzuki's untucked shirt, his fingers running over the older man's flesh curiously.

Tsuzuki felt overwhelmed, seeing the reserved boy so wanton and free. This was well worth living for.

He carefully pulled the boy's shirt from him, their pause only momentary. The marks had almost completely faded.

"Good enough. Want you," Hisoka gasped, as Tsuzuki's hands felt their way up the sides of his chest. Tsuzuki watched him, recalling how modest he'd been just hours before. Hisoka was certainly full of surprises. He struggled out of his own slacks and boxers, throwing them to the floor.

Hisoka stared at his body with interest, Tsuzuki holding back and allowing the boy to explore, his eyes widened in an almost innocent way as his hands began to ghost over his lover's skin, his touches becoming more intimate as his confidence grew.

"You're gorgeous, Tsuzuki," Hisoka said, looking into his eyes before placing soft kisses along his chest. Tsuzuki allowed his hands to travel downward, reaching into Hisoka's jeans and squeezing the young man's rear with a pleasured moan. Hisoka shuddered, helping the other man pull his jeans off. Tsuzuki continued to knead the boy's ass, appreciating the unfettered view.

"You're so sexy, Hisoka. I never imagined you to be so, well, enthusiastic," Tsuzuki said with a lopsided grin. His heart nearly stopped when Hisoka actually let loose a small laugh.

"I've just never felt this way before. I feel like I've been waiting forever, and -- God, that feels good," Hisoka gasped, as his hardness brushed against Tsuzuki's leg.

"You're just usually so r -- reserved," Tsuzuki said, his voice ragged with arousal. Hisoka stopped grinding against him long enough to give him the full attention of his lust filled gaze.

"It's different right now, alone with you. I -- I trust you," Hisoka murmured, and resumed placing light kisses down his partner's body. Tsuzuki felt a wave of warmth, never feeling closer to another being.

Hisoka licked at his navel, sending shivers through him, followed by a pleasurable gasp as the boy cautiously touched his throbbing erection. The way the boy studied him, his eyes a mixture of amazement, caution and longing, was by far the most erotic thing Tsuzuki had ever seen. He stroked the older man's cock slowly, almost reverently, before swiping at the head with small, pink tongue.

"Beautiful," Hisoka murmured, before wrapping his lips around the tip, sucking gently. Tsuzuki had to bite his lip to keep from coming right then. Tsuzuki groaned at the loss of sensation, as Hisoka pulled his lips away and climbed up the bed beside him, with an apologetic smirk.

"Why did you stop, you little --" Tsusuki whimpered, his lip trembling. Hisoka threw him a smoldering gaze over his shoulder, and Tsuzuki understood what he wanted.

Tsuzuki couldn't hold back the urge to touch him any longer. He rolled over and began to kiss his way down the boy's narrow back, licking and nibbling, Hisoka writhing and panting beneath him. He reached beneath him, and began to stroke the boy's weeping erection. Hisoka moaned, thrusting into his hand, his rear grinding against Tsuzuki every time he pulled his hips back.

"Oh, Tsuzuki," Hisoka cried, quickening his pace and muttering incomprehensibly before stiffening with release. The boy slumped forward with a sigh.

"I want you to --" Hisoka whispered, Tsuzuki seeing the side of his face turn red as he turned his head.

"I didn't think this through," Tsuzuki said. "I don't want to hurt you." Looking around for inspiration, he reached towards the nightstand, digging his fingers into the silky texture of the melting chocolate mousse he found there, rubbing it between his fingers thoughtfully.

"Are you sure?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka spread his legs further in reply, arching his back and thrusting his rear upward. Tsuzuki's mouth went dry.

Hisoka started slightly at the coldness, as Tsuzuki lathered his entrance with slick fingers. He carefully rubbed the perimeter of the ring of muscle, feeling Hisoka relax, before slipping a finger inside. He grunted at the sensation of Hisoka tightening around the digit as he began to slowly thrust it further inside. His other finger soon followed, as he stretched him as gently as possible. Hisoka gasped and squirmed, making him pause.

"It's okay. Don't stop," Hisoka hissed. Tsuzuki continued his ministrations, Hisoka finally making purely pleasured responses.

"Are you ready?" Tsuzuki asked, removing his fingers.

"I -- yes. Please," Hisoka whimpered. Tsuzuki entered him carefully, crying out in ecstacy at the sensation. Hisoka gave quick huffs of breath, adjusting himself to the feeling, wiggling with encouragement after a moment. Tsuzuki pulled back at pushed back into him gradually, savoring every little stimulation, every sound his lover made.

"More, Tsu -- Tsuzuki," Hisoka demanded in breathless voice. Tsuzuki began to drive in more quickly, rolling his hips in an exploratory way until Hisoka cried out loudly with approval.

"Yes! Oh, God, Tsuzuki! Harder!" Hisoka shrieked, shoving back onto him in an increasingly frenzied fashion, his muscles clenching tightly around Tsuzuki, who ground against him until his vision blurred. He nearly collapsed onto the boy's back, digging his knee into the side of the mattress and flinging himself upon his back, gasping for breath.

"Wow," he mouthed, almost inaudibly. "Holy -- wow." Beside him Hisoka's knees had nearly given, as he made a wobbly decent onto the bed, face first. Catching his breath, he rolled over, throwing an arm across his lover's waist.

xxxx

The morning light awoke the lovers, who reluctantly stirred. Tsuzuki stroked Hisoka's hair, as the younger man nestled his head into his side.

"How are you feeling?" Tsuzuki asked. Hisoka lovingly caressed the older man's chest.

"Amazing," Hisoka admitted with a soft murmur. Tsuzuki grinned, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Well, I'm glad you're pleased," he said, coloring slightly.

"Do we have to go back already? I mean, I can do the paperwork from here," Hisoka said, looking up with a gleam in his eyes.

"We've already exhausted the budget. Tatsumi won't like it if we take longer than necessary," Tsuzuki said, trying out his novel role as the sensible one in the argument.

"We can stop at the Cafe du Monde later," Hisoka said temptingly.

"Well, when you put it that way --" Tsuzuki said, his eyes rolled upward thoughtfully. "I've fully corrupted you, haven't I?"

"Utterly," Hisoka said, pulling Tsuzuki's head down for a searing kiss. "I love touching you now. Your compassion, contentment, lust, love --" Hisoka stopped, looking at his partner questioningly.

"I love you," Tsuzuki whispered, nodding. Hisoka pulled away from him slightly.

"Sorry. Too intense for a moment," Hisoka said with a small gasp, breathing heavily. "Love you, too."

Tsuzuki pulled Hisoka back towards him, kissing him gently. The plate on the dresser behind his lover caught his eye.

"There's still some desert left!" he cried happily, crawling over Hisoka to retrieve the platter of sweets. Hisoka groaned.

"You and your priorities," the boy muttered. Tsuzuki pouted.

"There's enough for both of us," Tsuzuki whimpered, forcing a plastic fork full of pecan pie at his partner. Hisoka gaped at him as he chewed the rich desert.

"You'd share your pie with me?" Hisoka asked in awe. "You really do love me."

"Oh, hush," Tsuzuki said with his mouth full, knowing he was being teased. Hisoka swallowed, running his hand along Tsuzuki's thigh.

"Is there any of that mousse left?" he asked in a small voice, coloring slightly. Tsuzuki couldn't get enough of the new role of a blushing vixen he seemed to have awakened in his young partner. He loved how this was a side of Hisoka that only he would be allowed to see.

xxxx

"Good work, guys. Muraki's still on the loose, but at least we recovered one of the victims. Bringing down Cassandra Molve was a bonus as well," Tatsumi said, looking over Hisoka's report.

"Well, Muraki was really the one that brought her down, technically speaking," Tsuzuki said with a shrug.

"Nonetheless, we've had a case file on her for decades in the Ministry. She was quite a handful. Her judgment trail should be interesting indeed," Watari said with a chuckle. Tatsumi's eyes narrowed slightly, as he lowered the report and focused on the pair of shiningami before him.

"But I'm not entirely pleased. There's still the matter of your budget expenditures for your last two assignments," Tatsumi said.

"He's got the scary face on!" Watari chimed in a sing-song way.

Tsuzuki whimpered, while Hisoka's face was set in unreadable defiance.

"First, you spent a three day budget on an assignment that turned out to only take one day. Secondly, you spent an unnecessary extra day in New Orleans. Would you care to explain yourselves?" Tatsumi asked with cool fury.

"Um -- well," Tsuzuki stammered.

"It was my doing, Tatsumi. Tsuzuki had nothing to do with it," Hisoka explained calmly.

"Oh, I think he did!" Watari exclaimed, turning to Tatsumi with a grin. "Leave them alone, Tatsumi. Can't you tell they're in love?" Tatsumi lost all composure, his gaping mouth forming no coherent words. Hisoka cursed in embarrassment, burying his burning face in his hands.

"Yes, well," Tatsumi said, clearing his throat and rising from his chair awkwardly. "Don't do it again. Here's you next assignment." Tatsumi dropped a case file on the table, wandering back to his office with a dazed expression. Watari swooped down between the pair excitedly.

"I knew it would happen eventually!" Watari squealed, beaming. "I've so won my bet with Yuma and Saya! They thought it would take at least another month. So did you have a romantic honeymoon?" Hisoka rose from his seat very slowly.

"Must -- fight -- urge -- to -- kill -- you," Hisoka said through grinding teeth, leaving the room quickly once he was on his feet.

"Well that wasn't very nice," Watari said, pouting for about ten seconds and then smiling again. "So, do tell, Tsuzuki!" Tsuzuki laughed nervously.

"I don't think Hisoka would appreciate it if I said anything. I'm not the type to kiss and tell, what can I say?" Tsuzuki said, fighting back the urge to grin like mad.

"It's true then? And I was only joking!" Watari said with delight, clapping his hands. Tsuzuki glared at him.

"I hate you, Watari," he grumbled insincerely, leaving the room to catch up with Hisoka, Watari's laughter following him all the way down the hallway. He hadn't gotten far, when two small arms pulled him into an open doorway and he was being kissed heatedly by Hisoka.

"All right," Hisoka said breathlessly, pulling away from their embrace. "I've got that out of my system. Let's get to work."

Hisoka watched his partner with a swelling of love and awe, before following him.


End file.
